186204 Fax-to-Quit Louisiana: A systems-based approach to tobacco cessation

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tasha Bergeron, MSPH, RN , Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Unit, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Baton Rouge, LA
According to the 2006 Louisiana Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 23.4% of residents are smokers, which is higher than the national median of 20.8%. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' Tobacco Control Program assessed various methods to increase awareness and exposure of the Louisiana Tobacco Quitline, with a strong emphasis on health care providers and health systems. Currently, the Louisiana Tobacco Quitline is only counseling 0.5% of tobacco users in the state.

In August of 2007, the Tobacco Control Program in collaboration with the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living went “live,” with the Fax-to-Quit Louisiana Program. The Fax-to-Quit Louisiana Program links the services of the Louisiana Tobacco Quitline directly to the potential quitter with the help of healthcare providers.

The most beneficial aspects of the Fax-to-Quit Louisiana Program are the cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Louisiana spent $424,000 for quitline promotional efforts in 2006. The Tobacco Control Program has recruited various healthcare entities such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, Critical Care Access Hospitals, and Academic hospitals to implement the Fax-to-Quit Louisiana Program within their healthcare delivery system. By promoting the quitline through medium-large health systems, the projected promotional budget has decrease significantly.

The Fax-to-Quit Louisiana Program has steadily increased the amount of referrals from healthcare providers since it's inception in August 2007. The Louisiana Tobacco Control Program is evaluating promotional materials dissemination, health system and client outreach in relation to measuring the success of the Fax-to-Quit Louisiana Program.

Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will gain an understanding on the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of developing and promoting a tobacco cessation quitline fax referral program. 2. Participants will gain an understanding on how to recruit health systems to implement quitline fax referral program within their health delivery system. 3. Participants will gain an understanding on how collaborating with partners increases reach and expands programmatic resources. 4. Participants will be able to identify methods to evaluate quitline fax referral program process and outcomes.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Tasha Bergeron, MSPH, RN, currently serve as the Statewide Nurse Clinical Advisor for the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Unit. This involves facilitating commutnity outreach and systematic approach for common program objects and goals of the Tobacco Control, Asthma, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Health Programs which assist to reduce the state's health disparities. Ms. Bergeron has 10 years of experience of nursing experience in the areas of management/administration, cardiovasular, oncology, and behavioral health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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